Fluid meter



May s, 1923.

L. E. VAN HISE FLUID METER Filed OCt. 4.-, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 E.VAN HlsE May 8, 1923.

FLUID METER Filed oct. 4, 1920 y2 sheets-sheet z lNvEN-ron Patented Mays, 1923.

UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE.

LESTER E. VAN HISE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TOJAMES V. BALDWIN, ONE-THIRD TO PERCY F. HOWELL, ANDONE-THIRD T0 GEORGElE. MCCREEBY, ALL OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

lFLUID METER.

Application filed October 4, 1920. Serial N 'o. 414,673.

To a?? whom-fairly concern:

Be it known that I. Lnsrnn E. VAX H1515. a citizen ot' the FnitcdStates. residing at Los Angeles. in the county of Los Angeles and Stateot' California. have invented new and useful Improvements in FluidMeters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for indicating variations in the flowof fluids. and particularly pertains to an indicator which is especiallyapplicable for use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine fordesignating the volume of the hydrocarbon vapors delivered to thecarburetor and thence to the engine cylinders at any given moment.

An object of this invention is to provide an instrumentadapted to beinstalled in the fuel line. leading to the carburetor of an internalcombustion engine in an auto vehicle and to be associated with aspeedometer. whereby the operator may determine at any instantV and atany engine speed the exact rate of fuel consumption per hour of hisvehicle. and also ascertain the mileage made per gallon at any moment soas to give an accurate check at all times on the ruiming condition ofthe motor and vehicle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the abovecharacter ofthe type embodying a loose weighted element arranged in achamber through which the fluid is to flow: the weighted element beingadapted to be supported by the flowing fluid and moving upwardly withincrease in the rate of' flow of the fluid and gravitatmg l downwardlyon decrease in the rate of flow.

A further object is to provide an indicating element of such shape andso arranged asV to permit ready movement thereof and obviate anypossibility of its sticking or jamming and thereby insure its properfunctioning.

\nother object is to provide a device of the above character with abypass of gradually increasing cross sectional area in thel direction ofthe flow of the fluid with the by-pass arranged along one side of thechamber in which the indicating element travels and arranged in opencommunication therewith in such manner that the indicator when disposedat various positions in the chamber under the action of fluid flowingtherethrough will form with the by-pass a variable port area accordingto the velocity of the fluid and which by-pass will remain open andunobstructed throughout irrespective of the posit-ion of the indicatingelement.

Another object is to provide a construction in the indicator whereby themovable indicating element cannot cut off the flow of fluid through theindicator.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the fluid `meter with parts brokenaway.

Figure 2 is ay view of same as seen in vertical section.

Figure 3 is a view in horizontal section as seen on the line 3 3 of FigureJQ.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the indicating element. l

Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the application of the invention.

Figure 6 is a view in vertical section Showing a modified form oftheinvention.l

Figure T is a view in horizontal section as seen on t-he line T T ofFigure 6.

Figure S is a view in front elevation showing another modified form ofthe invention.

`igure 9 isa view in horizontal section as seen on the line 9-9 ofFigure 8.

Figure 10 is a view in elevation illustrating a further modified form ofthe invention.

Figure 11 is a view in vertical section as seen on the line 11-11 ofFigure 10.

lFigure 12 is a view in horizontal section as seen on the line 12-12 ofFigure 11.

Figure 13 is a view illustrating the rotary indicating element showingit in a spherical form.

In carrying outl my invention in the preferred embodiment. asparticularly shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive. I employ a. casing 14embodying a back wall 15, top and bottom walls 16 and 1T. and Asidewalls 18 and 19 formingthe casing with a channel 20 which is closed by atransparent plate 21 extending over the outer face of the casing andsecured in place by a face plate 22 having a vertically extending slot23 arranged opposite the channel 20 to expose the latter through theplate 21. The channel 2O constit-utes a chamber through which the liquidto be measured is designed to flow and com- 'asA ` distance from theside walls of the channel vertically movable.

municating with the chamber at its lower end is an intake passage 24extending through a nipple 25 adapted to be connected through the feedpipe 26 leading from any suitable source of hydrocarbon supply indicatedat 27, and which source may comprise a reservoir or a vacuum tankinterposed in the feed pipe line. Communicating with the upper end ofthe chamber is an outlet passage 28 leading through a nipple 29 adaptedto connect with a conduit 30 leading to the carburetor 3l connected bythe usual intake manifold 32 to an engine cylinder An important featureof the present invention resides in the manner of forming the channel orchamber 2O and arranging an indicating member therein and forming same.

ln the. preferred form of the invention, the channel 2O is formed with avertically extending recess portion 35 constituting a by-pass andthebottom wall 36 of which is formed by the back wall l5 and is inclinedfrom a point adjacent the intake pas sage 24 to the outlet passage 28,so that the by-pass has a gradually increasing cross sectional area asit progresses upwardly. The recess portion or by-pass is of a width lessthan the width of the channel 20, so asto form a pair of shoulders 37and 38 along the marginal edges of the by-pass which extends parallelwith the cover plate 21 and constitute with thelatter guide ways betweenwhich the indicating member 34 is The indicating members l34 iscylindrical in form and arranged with its axis extending horizontally,transversally across the channel 20 and is of such diameter that itscircumferential face will be positioned quite close to theshouldersersing the channel in either direction and thereby have a rollingcontact with its guide members. The indicating member is of such lengththat its ends will be spaced a short 20 to afford free movement of theindicating element, yet practically close the channel against thepassage of fluid therethrough. A shoulder 39 is formed in the side wallsof the channel above the intake passage 24, on which the indicatingelement is adapted to seat when in its lowermost position, to preventthe indicating element from closing the inlet passage 24. A shoulder 40is formed in the side walls of the channel immediately below the outletpassage 28 for limiting the upward movement of the indica-ting element.

lin the form of the invention shown in Figures 6 and 7, the transparentcover plate is formed with an outwardly extending portion 4l havingtapered side walls, and the indicating member is formed with a centralflange 42 which extends between the tapered walls 41, so'thattheposition of the indicating member may be readily seen from the side ofthe device. ln this arrangement the bottom wall of the by-pass is formedwith a groove 43 to accommodate the flange 42. ln

some instances, the cover plate may be inclined relative to the backwall to form the tapered by-pass.

ln the form of the invention shown in Figures 8 and 9, the by-pass 35 islocated at one side of the channel 20 and t-he inclined wall 3G thereofis located at the side of the by-pass opposite the communication withthe channel 20; the by-pass and the channel being separated in part by apartition 44, but having communication through a space 45 extendingbetween the partition and the cover plate 21.

In the form of the invent-ion shown in Figures 10 vand l2 inclusive, anarrangement substantially corresponding tothat shown in Figures 8 and 9`is employed, ex cept that the inclined wall 36 of the bypass 35 isarranged in the bottom wall of the by-pass.

Where the by-pass is arranged to one side of the channel, the inletpassage 24 communicates with the lower. end of the channel and theoutlet passage leads from the upper end of the bypass.

By arranging the outlet to lead from the upper portion of the by-pass,an open communication is afforded from the by-pass at fall times, whichinsures against the outlet being closed by the indicating element whenthe latter` is in its uppermost position and permits the continued flowof fluid through the indicator at all times irrespective of the positionof the indicating element.

In the application and o eration of the invention, the indicator isisposed at any convenient point in a gas line or feed pipe leading fromthe source of hydrocarbon supply to the carburetor; being preferably disposed on the instrument board 46 of an auto l vehicle adjacent to aspeedometer 47, so that the indications noted by the meter may be readin conjunction with the speed indications of the speedometer.

The device is also disposed in substantially l' a vertical position andso arranged as to be filled wlth the liquid to be measured. 'llheindicating element is submerged in the liquid and normally rests in itslowermost n positlon, in which position it substantially E closes thevertical channel .to the intake paage` with the latter, however, openingat a point beneath the indicating element so that on the slightestvolume of flow of the liquid into the device the indicating element willbe lifted and supported inan elevated position according to the velocityand volume of dow of the l1 uid; the indicating element moving upwar lyas the flow increases and moving downwardly under .gravity as the flowdecreases. A scale 48 is provided at( any convenient point adjacent thepath of travel of the indicating element and adapted to be readaccording to the various positions'of the indicating element to denotethe vollne of the liquid passing through the meter at any moment. Bycom- 'munication to the -by-pass, the cross sec.

paring the reading of the scale with the speed of travel of the vehicleindicated on the speedometer the number of gallons of liquid fed to thecarburetor per mile of travel will be designated. The indicating elementon moving upwardly opens oomtional area of which gradually increases asthe indicating element advances and decreases on retrograde movement ofthe indicating element.

An important feature of' the i* invention i resides in formi-ng theindicating' element of such shape that it vwill -revolve in itsmounting, thusv minimizing the possibility of -it sticking and notproperly vfunctioning. Insome instances the indicatingv elementI may bemade spherical and I, therefore, do not'limit myself to the cylindricalform, the essential feature being that it is adapted to revolve.

By the use of 'this' invention the operator of an auto vehicle maydetermine at any moment the volume 'of 'fuel consumed by the engine perunit of time whether the' vehicle is in motion or not; the graduationsbeing s'o spaced and numbered relative to movement of the indicatingelement under various velocities of the fluid acting thereon as toaccurately measure the quantity of Huid passing out the discharge withina certain period of time, such as gallons and fractions thereof, thatwould pass through the meter at various velocities in say, one.

hour.

Knowing from previous tests the volume of fuel required to operate theengine under various conditions as when idling and propelling thevehicle under'normal driving* conditions, z any increase in the` fuelcon'- sumptlon shown by the indicator will denote the presence oftrouble. When .the vehicle is 1n motion and the speedometer in'operation to indicate the speed ofthe vehlcle in' miles per hour, Athemeter read jointly with the speedometer will give at a glance thecorrect number of miles per gallon the vehicle is running, For fexample,assume that the 'speedometer reading, is

twenty miles per hour and the meter'readthe two readings ta ving hasbeenbrouht to -one gallon, then togetherwould show en that the vehiclewould'travel twenty miles in one hour on one gallon of fuel'. In thismanner the operatorp may. 'determine b tsts the most economical speed atwhich his vehicle may be driven so as to lget the great-` est possiblemileage per gallonaA 'I claim:

1. A device" for indicating the' fiow of fluids, comprising a casingformed with a munication therewith throughout the length of the passage,an inlet conduit opening to the lower end of the chamber, an outletconduit leading from the upper end of the passage, and a revolvableindicator element movable longitudinally of said chamber and vguidedtherein, said indicator element being cylindrical in form and arrangedwith its axis extending transversally of the chamber.

3. A device for indicating the flow of fluids, comprising a casingformed with a chamber, a revolvable indicating element freely movablelongitudinally .of said cham-` ber, a by-pass passage arranged alongsideof said chamber in open communication therewith-throughout the length ofthe passage, saidpassage having an inclined wall whereby its crosssectional area is gradually increased from one of its ends to the other,an inlet conduit opening to the chamber at the reduced end of thepassage, and an outlet conduit leading from the enlarged end of thepassage.

4. Ina Huid meter, a casing formed with a guide channel, a revolvableindicating element movable longitudinally of said channel and extendingsubstantially across the cross sectional area of `said channel, meansfor directing an lnflow of flu1d to saidchannel beneath sald lndlcatmgmember, and

means for directing a flowg of iiuidyto one side of the path of travelof said indicating member said casing having a discharge'passage withwhich said last named means communicates.

5; A devicel for indicating the flow of fluids, comprising a casingformed with a chamberand 'having a longitudinally extend- :ing by-passpassage in open communication therewith with San inlet opening to thelower portion of the chamber and an` outlet leading vfrom the upperportion of the bypass passage, and an indicator element movablelongitudinally of said chamber.

' 6. A device for indicating the flow of fluid, comprising a casingformed with aj. chamber' andv having av longitudinally extending by-passpassage in open communi-l cation therewith with an inlet opening to thelower portion of the chamber and an outlet leading from the upperportion of the by-pass passage, and an indicator element movablelongitudinally of said chamber, said indicator element being adapted toroll in thev direction of its path of travel.

7. device for indicating the How of fluid, comprising a casing formedwith a chamber and having a longitudinally eX- tending by-pass passagein yopen communication therewith with an inlet opening to the lowerportion of the chamber and an outlet leading from the upper portion ofthe chamber, and an indicator element movable longitudinally of saidchamber; a shoulder for limiting upward movement of said indicatorelement, said chamber, by-pass passage and outlet being so relativelyarranged that communication between the by-pass passage andloutlet willremain'open .when

Maaaoi the indicator element is in its uppermost position.

8. lin a fluid indicator, a casing, a chamber in said casing, guide-waysin said chamber, a freely movable indicator element mounted to roll onsaid guide-ways, inlet and outlet passages at the opposite end portionsof said chamber, and a by-pass passage extending between said inlet andoutlet passages.

9L` lin a fluid indicator, a casing, a chamber in said casing,guide-ways in said chamber., a freely movable indicator element mountedto roll on said guide-ways, inlet and outlet passages at the oppositeend portions of said chamber, and a by-pass passage extending betweensaid inlet and outlet passages; said t by-pass passage 'increasing incrossesectional area approaching the outlet passage.

, LlESTlERlE. VAN HltSlE.

